Amino quinolinone benzimidazolyl compounds such as 4-amino-5-fluoro-3-[6-(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)-1H-benzimidazol-2-yl]quinolin-2(1H)-one and their tautomers and salts are potent inhibitors of various class kinases such as VEGFR2 (KDR, Flk-1), FGFR1 and PDGFRβ with IC50s ranging from 10-27 nM. See U.S. Pat. No. 6,605,617, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/644,055, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/706,328, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety and for all purposes as if fully set forth herein, for a list of various tyrosine and serine/threonine kinases for which 4-amino-5-fluoro-3-[6-(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)-1H-benzimidazol-2-yl]quinolin-2(1H)-one has shown activity and for assay procedures. Such kinases are important for the initiation and maintenance of new blood vessel growth as well as tumor proliferation. Consequently these inhibitors have direct applications in the treatment of various disorders such as solid and hematological cancers. The identification of plasma biomarkers in subjects treated with these kinase inhibitors would therefore provide a convenient method for monitoring the subject's physiological response to the treatment.
Cell adhesion molecules play important roles in tumor cell invasion, metastasis, and interaction with immune cells. VCAM (vascular cell adhesion molecule) is a transmembrane glycoprotein and expressed in endothelial cells and various cancer types such as bladder, breast, gastrointestinal, ovarian, renal, and Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. VCAM is induced by VEGF and is predominantly expressed in activated endothelial cells. ICAM (inducible cell adhesion molecule) is also expressed in endothelial cells and various cells including fibroblasts, hematopoietic cells, and tumor cells. The soluble form of ICAM present in the plasma is generated by proteolytic cleavage of membrane-associated molecules. E-Selectin (endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule) is a transmembrane glycoprotein expressed in endothelial cells and mediates adhesion of neutrophils, monocytes, and T cells to endothelial cells. E-selectin also mediates tumor progression and metastasis.
A high concentration of soluble ICAM, VCAM, and E-selectin is considered a marker of endothelial cell activation during tumor development, metastasis, and inflammatory responses. These cell adhesion molecules localized on endothelial cells can mediate adhesion of metastatic tumor cells and allow extravasation into the vessels. It is of interest that these molecules are inducible, being poorly expressed on normal endothelial cells but capable of being expressed highly after exposure to cytokines such as IL-1 or TNF-a. In addition, some of these molecules are preferentially expressed in different vascular beds, with VCAM being abundant in the lung and E-selectin in the liver.
Matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) are a class of proteases that degrade most components of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Under normal physiological conditions they play an important role in development, tissue remodeling and morphogenesis. However, elevated levels of certain metalloproteases have been implicated in pathological diseases such as cancer and inflammation. Degradation of the extracellular matrix in the basement membrane is essential for tissue invasion by tumor cells and metastasis at various sites, and this degradation is dependent on the activity of MMPs. The family of MMPs includes more than 20 members. Two of these proteases are MMP-2 (gelatinase A, 72 KD) and MMP-9 (gelatinase B, 92 KD). MMP-2 and MMP-9 are important regulators of cancer progression and metastasis and their levels are frequently elevated in various cancer patients.
A report by Bergers et al. (Matrix metalloproteinase-9 triggers the angiogenic switch during carcinogenesis; Berger, G. et al., Nature Cell Biology, 2:737-744; 2000) discloses that MMP-9/gelatinase B is a functional component of an angiogenic switch during multistage pancreatic carcinogenesis by increasing the release of VEGF.
Various quinolinone benzimidazole compounds useful in inhibiting angiogenesis and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinases and in inhibiting other tyrosine and serine/threonine kinases including 4-amino-5-fluoro-3-[5-(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)-1H-benzimidazol-2-yl]quinolin-2(1H)-one or a tautomer thereof and the synthesis thereof are disclosed in the following documents which are each hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties and for all purposes as if fully set forth herein: U.S. Pat. No. 6,605,617; U.S. Pat. No. 6,756,383; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/116,117 filed (published on Feb. 6, 2003, as U.S. 2003/0028018 A1); U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/644,055 (published on May 13, 2004, U.S. Patent Application No. 2004/0092535); U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/983,174; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/706,328 (published on Nov. 4, 2004, as 2004/0220196); U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/982,757; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/982,543.
An important need exists for methods for modulating levels of cellular adhesion molecules and matrix metalloproteases. Such methods would therefore constitute important and needed therapies in the treatment of inflammatory and metastatic diseases mediated by cellular adhesion molecules and matrix metalloproteases.